


do you remember?

by CHAOSMAXINE



Category: Life Is Strange (Video Game)
Genre: F/F, Goddess AU, Medium Burn, Romance, arcadia bay mysteries, chloe price has bpd, lots of swearings because it's in chloe's pov, max is like a nature spirit, minor amberprice
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-11-02
Updated: 2020-12-05
Packaged: 2021-03-09 02:27:08
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 4,439
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27257152
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CHAOSMAXINE/pseuds/CHAOSMAXINE
Summary: when small town teenager chloe price almost gets into an accident that could've cost her life, she encounters someone who'll make things even stranger. as they both try to solve the mystery of the unexplainable, they realize their connection is stronger than it seems.orin which arcadia bay has a soul that takes the form of the cutest freckled girl who can somehow twist time around her fingers.
Relationships: Maxine "Max" Caulfield/Chloe Price
Comments: 8
Kudos: 27





	1. am i going crazy?

**Author's Note:**

> this work is inspired by my favorite pricefield fanfiction, 'no grave can hold my body down' by opheliamarina on ao3 which is honestly the most amazing piece of work out there and it made me cry. of course, the inspiration comes from the idea of a goddess au, but this is still going to be much different. i still recommend reading it because ugh, it's so great, i could talk about it for hours.
> 
> this story has 10 chapters planned, but it'll have more as i'm brainstorming and as the story evolves. so, it's bound to change. 10 is only the minimum.
> 
> anyway, i hope you enjoy 'do you remember?'. :)

the first time i saw her… i was drunk.

no, okay, i lied. but seriously, i wish i were, that day. it would've at least given me the comfort thought that i wasn't going crazy. now what, i was hearing and seeing stuff? _mom would be happy to see how fucked up her daughter was becoming._

i’ve gotten a reality check the moment i heard the sound of a chair squeaking. blonde hair in a clean bun. white walls. incessant clock hands going on and on as the seconds and minutes passed…

— **chloe? we’ve known each other for years. you know you can always open up to me, alright? i’m here for that.**

 _yeah, you’re here for_ _that_ _, meaning the paycheck you’re being given. it’s not like you’re here for me, or ultimately give a fuck about how i feel._

— … **but i can’t help you if you’re not talking. you can’t bottle things up. you’ve been, for too long.** that smile. it was supposed to be comforting but somehow, it made me angrier.

i played with my hands as i looked at the clock. i wanted to get out. it wasn’t working; all these stupid therapy sessions i’ve had for years. joyce didn’t care either, she just wanted her offspring to be normal so she could flaunt me around. no wonder why she was _almost_ devastated when 15 years old me cut my hair and started going through my tough punk phase.

the session finally ended after what felt like hours. time is probably the most consistent value and yet, sometimes it felt like it was going too fast — or way too slow, for example, in moments like these. as the end of the session arrived, i quickly jumped out of my seat and exited the room. i didn’t want to go back, ever.

i got down the stairs of the office and pushed the doors to finally arrive outside. the first thing i noticed was how cold the raindrops dotting my skin were. we were in mid-september, and around that time, we were always expecting a period of constant rain, grey skies and depressive temperature altogether. _‘should’ve brought a coat_ , i thought, while quickly rubbing my hands on my arms, realizing wearing only a thin wife beater and a pair of old jeans weren’t suited for how freezing it was outside. i reached for my phone in my pockets but the moment i got it out, it fell on the ground.

— **shit, no, not in the fucking puddle.** i mumbled under my breath as i hurriedly grabbed the device from the ground, now all wet. i aggressively rubbed it against my jeans, hoping it would still turn on. **come on** … 

i tried to click on the screen, the keyboard, the power button, nothing was working.

i quickly turned around and nobody was outside, except for the few cars passing in front of me, their wheels threatening to spray me with the soaked concrete every time.

— **shit, fuck me.** i kept saying, realizing how shitty my situation was. no phone, so no lyft back to home. no cash, so no bus drive. autumn rain, so being fucking cold and wet. and there was no way i’d go back to the therapy office to borrow their phone either. i said i didn’t want to go back, and i meant it.

so i started walking, because my pride was too strong — and my luck clearly non-existent that day. the more i wandered around, the less buildings i’d meet. i was leaving the center of this stupid west-coast town; town i definitively wanted to leave for years, but alas, fate’s a bitch, i supposed. the road i was following was surrounded by a huge forest on both sides. which was… calming, in a way.

this was the same road i’ve taken the last time… and there she was, in front of me.

so i waited, hoping that somehow, i wasn’t really going batshit like i thought i was.

— **there you are.** i whispered, as i spotted a moving brown mass showing up from in between two large pine trees, on the total opposite side of the road.

i was… mesmerized by this view. how is a wild animal so unafraid? its shape started making sense, its skinny legs, its dark, dotted fur, its large eyes. a doe. in front of me. looking at me. i wanted to grab my phone and take a picture, just to have a tangible proof that it was really there, but then i remembered my phone died. what if it was be the last time i would've seen it? and yet, somehow, it had to mean something. nature’s basically crowning me as snow white two-point-oh.

i walked almost machinally to the tall animalistic figure. i wanted to approach it. to see it in all of its details. to touch it.

i stopped hearing what was around me, i stopped looking what was around me. it was all me and the doe.

_chloe._

_chloe._

_chloe._

_the voices were getting louder in my head; the rain was gone; the doe was gone too._

then, a set of lights started obstructing the view. i barely had the time to look on my left that i saw a car going at full speed in my direction. i just hid my face with my arms instinctively and fell on my knees on the hard, wet concrete. and then nothing. my whole body was shaking.

 _my body! i'm still feeling it!_ i thought, enthusiastically. no impact. i was out of breath and i could feel the sweat dripping down my face. everything felt so numb, i swore i was about to pass out. i concentrated on my heartbeat for a couple of seconds before opening my eyes and looking down the floor. the light felt intense and almost blinding. i didn't want to look up, maybe because i was being a coward and i was scared.

_i’m not dead. holy shit._

i finally decided to face what had just happened and it was like time stopped.

literally.

at first, i noticed the car was floating, all smashed up, like it just hit face to face with a semi trailer. then there was that skinny figure standing. short brown hair. green-y, brown clothes with a long cape. pale skin. human skin. freckles, all over it. hands were up in the air, shaking, like they were forcing something, palms facing the car. i couldn’t move, i was paralyzed by the surprise; or maybe was it fear?

the small girl then proceed to run towards me and push me out of the road with all of her strength. i gasped as my legs scrapped on the ground, feeling a burning sensation and even before i could register what was happening, the car went in reverse motion, going from all smashed up to working and in perfect condition, before continuing its route once time went back to normal; as if i was never on the road, never about to get hit by that driver. i let out a sob, feeling my trembling hands as i passed them in my smudged face. i could feel the girl still holding me, both of us on the ground. she got up quickly after a couple of seconds. my body was still laying down and i could see her feet. they were dirty with mud. she didn't wear shoes, for some reason. i didn't have the time to glance at her face again that she disappeared out of my sight. just like that. my neck was hurting, but i tried to look around to find her again. no one was here, no one but me, who almost faced death. the doe still didn't come back either.

 _i didn’t imagine all this, i’m still here._ i pinched myself hard on the arm. _i’m still alive, it’s not a dream._ i attempted to get up quickly but i felt so disoriented that i collapsed on the side of the road one more time, feeling pain in my entire body due to the stress.

then i closed my eyes.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> follow me on twt: @chaosmaxine
> 
> thanks for reading!


	2. pieces of time

i haven’t smoked in a week after that. pretty sure i was starting to show schizophrenic behavior. _pot can do that, i’ve read it somewhere. i mean, come on, a ghost deer, a tiny girl stopping time to save your ass? talk about convenience._

i tried to avoid this road for a week, ‘didn’t go to my therapy session. ‘didn’t want to, either.

i’ve been seeing it, the doe, everytime i was passing by, to go to therapy. it had been a month now. i thought it just liked hanging around those parts. but that girl… i couldn’t get her out of my head. 

something was going on, and whether it was real, or just in my head, i needed to seek for answers. i almost died, it was a big deal. i was still shaking about that, too.

my back against my bed, i was looking up at my skinny hands, like i was trying to prove to myself that i was still alive. i mean, mom did see me when i went back home that day, so clearly, i wasn’t a ghost.

 _—_ **_chloe_ , **_she said, clearly disappointed in me._ **_your clothes are all dirty. what on earth did you do?_ **

_—_ **_well mom, i had to walk back home, which wouldn’t have happened if you picked me up like usual._ **

_—_ **_you didn’t give me a call. besides, you’re always going god knows where and sometimes you don’t even come back home for the day. i can’t keep up with you anymore!_ **

_i crossed my arms against my chest._

_—_ **_i’ve had a pretty rough fucking day and i don’t need you to lecture me!_ ** _i said, moving towards the stairs, clearly wanting to end the conversation._

_when i was upstairs, i could hear her raising her voice._

_—_ **_you better come back when dinner is ready. david will be back from work and i want us to spend time like a real family._ **

_she barely had the time to finish that sentence that i slammed my door shut and i jumped into my bed, not even bothering removing the big boots i was wearing. i was still shivering from the drenched clothes i was wearing but i was too exhausted to do anything._

_real family, my ass. you know who was real family? dad. but you decided you wanted him to pick you up from work that day. and now he’s fucking gone._

_my stomach hurt, i brought my knees against my chest and i stayed there; i wasn’t crying, i wasn’t lashing out, i just wanted to drift into a deep sleep._

and here was i, same place, on my bed, a week later. i didn’t have the balls to go back and face the weird shit that happened to me.

i got up and sat down, inspecting around. i saw this old camera that belonged to _him,_ which took the dust as time passed. i never really used it, never bothered learning, to be honest.

i got up and grabbed it. using both my hands, i moved it around as i blew the dirt away. this was some old polaroid camera. my father used to love taking pictures with this. of me, of mom, of bongo; of us together. but the memories were so far now, i could barely feel them. i would try to close my eyes but everything would feel so blurry. and it was scary to think that the more time goes, the worse those same memories would deteriorate until there’s nothing left.

maybe it made sense for him to take all these pictures; he captured these moments, as a way to remember. those were little pieces of time to him.

_that’s it! i could use totally use this to capture the doe. it’s tangible, right? it can’t be photoshopped. it would be right in my hands. fuck yes!_

i quickly scanned the room to find a bag to put the vintage camera in it. i grabbed my old green backpack from high school — back to before i got expelled — and i swang it on my left shoulder before leaving my bedroom, almost jumping down the stairs.

— **bee-ar-bee, mom!**

— **where do you think you’re going?** no response. **chloe!** she said, a little louder, from the kitchen, but then i already slammed the door behind me, shoes barely put in my feet. the temperature was a little bit warmer that day. i could feel the sun shining on my face. i looked on my right and saw my old bike.

 _i really need a car._ i shook my head as i jumped on it, putting my feet on the pedals. _i haven’t used that thing in years._

everything always felt so… weird in that town. it was the same people, never changing, never evolving. like arcadia bay was… frozen in time.

_i should really stop with these stupid puns._

as i was going full speed, i got up on my seat and let my dominant hand on the handlebar as my right hand was moving in the wind. i wanted to scream my lungs out. i felt alive for a short time.

_arms in the air, on top of my old swinging set, i felt like i was queen of the seas._

_—_ **_aye matey, captain bluebeard, it is time to munch on the feast i have brought you!_ **

_jiggles._

_—_ **_dad! don’t try to make a pirate voice! you’re terrible!_ **

_—_ **_how dare you disrespect your first mate! no dessert for you!_ **

_—_ **_no, please, i beg your pardon!_ ** _the laughs became louder._ **_i’ll get down, okay, okay, you won!_ **

i could feel shivering thundering down my arms despite the comfortable temperature. i couldn’t see any faces, but i could still hear the voices. those were the only parts of memories that remained. the world around me became mute for a short while.

**how could i move on from someone i never had the chance to say goodbye to?**

[...]

i quickly tossed my bicycle on the side of the empty road when i arrived. i stood there for a moment, looking around me. the trees were moving in the wind, but nothing stood out. i passed my hand in my dyed blue hair.

 **— hey, uh, strange girl?** i said, furrowing my brows while walking around. **fuck, i sound stupid.** i mumbled under my breath. **can we like… talk? remember, i’m the one who you saved from a car crash last week.** i chuckled embarrassingly.

after a couple of seconds of nothing, i could see a spot of brown fur emerging from the forest.

 _there you go, you little thing_. i thought, as i prepared myself to take a picture. i crouched and brought the camera to my face. slowly. centering the animal in the lense. one click, and i was capturing it.

— **move the flash upwards. that way you’ll get a better shot.**

the gentle voice behind my ear made me jump. my entire body felt paralized for a short moment as my brain was still processing that there was someone next to me, someone i clearly didn’t know.

i quickly turned around while putting my hand on my heart, feeling the blood pumping in my chest. that girl, that pale skin, those freckles… she had deep blue eyes too. she took a step back, looking worried by my reaction.

— **jesus fuck, you scared me.** i exclaimed, still trying to find my breath.

— **i’m sorry.** she said with a small voice, almost in a whisper. i calmed down instantly. she didn’t feel threatening in the slightest, it was actually the opposite.

— **hey no it’s… cool.** i reassured her awkwardly, trying to not scare her off, now that she was in front of me, finally. **who are you?** i asked, mildly confused.

her expression stayed still for a couple of seconds. _did i say something wrong?_ i didn’t want her to leave, i wanted to get answers. as i was about to open my mouth, i could see a faint smile drawing on her pink lips. then a soft laugh.

— **you’re the one searching for me.**

_oh._

— **i’m eh…** i rolled my eyes playfully, looking down from being slightly embarrassed. **chloe. chloe’s the name. the one who has no luck with cars, apparently. what’s yours?**

a silence.

— **arcadia.**

and the doe was gone again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> follow me on twt: @chaosmaxine
> 
> thanks for reading!


	3. everywhere and nowhere

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sorry for the long wait, enjoy this longer chapter. also it's barely beta'd because i'm lazy. *awkward finger guns* :-)

the atmosphere between us was heavy. _arcadia, talk about a convenient name._ the silence between us was growing larger by the second and was extremely uncomfortable, so i tried to switch topics.

— **that’s… a nice outfit you’ve got there, robin hood.**

she looked down at what she was wearing, the same earthly-colored clothes with that long cape from the other day.

— **you look like an elf character from an rpg.** i added.

— **do… i…?** she looked confused.

— **oh, but it’s a good thing, elves are cute.** i mentally slapped myself. **i mean… you’re okay, i** **guess.** i awkwardly added right away, with a forced laugh.

 _cute,_ really?

— **well, thanks.** she said, almost coldly.

another _fucking_ silence. _what do you even say to a random person who saved you, anyway? and it’s not like i could also ignore how it literally felt like time had stopped around us when it happened. should i ask about it?_ you wondered.

— **can i… uh, offer you a coffee? or something…**

— **you don’t fit the type to like coffee.** she said, humorously.

— **you’re right, miss-all-knowing, i hate coffee. but i’m trying to be polite. so, is it a yes?**

— **maybe…** **can i see your camera?** she asked, barely answering my invitation. _okay, so coffee is a no_ , i concluded.

i looked at her for a couple of seconds, clearly confused, before realizing she meant the camera i used to take a picture of the doe earlier. i reached the inside of my bag and gave it to her, my hands trembling for absolutely no reason.

she grabbed it and inspected it. she opened the flash and closed it a couple of times, like she was a child discovering an object for the first time.

at that point, i was perplexed because she did tell me how to use it earlier, so why was she acting like she didn’t know what she was holding?

— **cool thing.** she said, before quickly snapping a picture of me. i jumped back, the flash blinding my eyes.

— **christ!**

she started laughing really loudly, and grabbed the photo that got out of the camera.

— **not funny.** i said, annoyed.

— **_really_** **funny, actually. there you go.** she gave me the camera and the polaroid photo back. i shook the photo a little bit before taking a quick look at it.

— **i look like shit.** the photo was blurry, overexposed and you could see the expression of half-terror on my face.

— **what can i say?** **i have an eye for these things.**

she was really cocky, but she could never defeat me. i put the camera back in my bag.

— **i… should go. my mom’s probably worried about me.** i lied. **see you around, arcadia?**

she looked at me again with these big blue eyes, straight up coming from a miyazaki animation.

— **yeah.** she ended up saying under her breath. i waited for her to say more but she stayed silent, _again._

i put a foot behind, then another, and i awkwardly waved at her before turning around, my face all red, rushing my way back home.

you’re so stupid, price. you probably scared her.

[...]

later that day, i was sitting on my bed, computer on my thighs, i was browsing, hoping i’d get any information about arcadia. i tried to find her profile on facebook, instagram, nothing. and arcadia bay was pretty small, everyone knew each other. so why wasn’t she familiar to me? i’ve never seen her at school, or anywhere, for that matter.

i tried to make some researches about this vision i’ve had as well.

_“is time freeze possible?”_

_“can one control time?”_

_“what to do when a weird barefoot girl comes out of nowhere to save your ass from near death?”_

_“are spirit animals real?”_

maybe the doe was trying to tell me something. it had been there all along, even when the car almost crushed me. i wasn’t one who usually believed in this kind of pseudo-mystic stuff, but i knew what i saw. it was in front of me, i saw the car going from all smashed up to working and in normal condition. those things don’t happen in real life. but here was i, still alive, with not a single broken bone.

i suddenly heard a sound coming from my window. it was like a little knock. and another. maybe there was a lot of wind and some debrits were hitting my window. without moving from my spot, i pushed the american flag that was covering my window to look at the sky. it was blue and there was not a single cloud in horizon. i turned my head back to my computer, frowning.

i couldn’t really find good, verifiable pieces of information about time traveling out there. a few reddit threads about people pretending they can travel within the multiverse, with no further proof other than “ _dude, trust me”,_ or that blog article i found about the theory that our brain could unlock higher mental capacities when experiencing emotional or physical trauma. this could include chronokinesism, out of many others.

 _this is bullshit._ i chuckled to myself, closing the top of my computer.

another sound came from the window.

— **man, what is this?** i finally said out loud, irritated.

i put my laptop of the side of my bed and stood up to look at what was going on. there was _nothing! nada!_

then i looked down.

_what the fuck, now._

she was there, looking at me from down there. she awkwardly raised her hand at me. i could feel my eyes being wide open. i looked around me. i felt observed. how did she know i was here? did she follow me? for how long has she been waiting there, outside?

i gently opened my window, shivering because of the cold wind hitting my naked arms.

— **w-what are you doing here?**

— **the door was locked, i tried...**

that… was extremely weird. my armpits were starting to feel sweaty. she wanted to break in? _what does she want from me?_ i asked myself, mildly anxious at the situation.

**— … can i come in?**

it was the first time she actually raised her voice — so i could hear her from upstairs.

— **no, what the hell!** i said, angrily. **how do you even know where i live?**

— **i know you have many questions but i promise i’m not a stalker.**

— **and how would i be so sure of that? i’ve never seen you before and now you’re at my window?**

— **look, i’ll answer all of your questions if you let me in.**

— **you better fucking explain the car** ** _fucking_** **going in reverse motion because i know i’m not crazy and that you saw it too.**

— **i promise.**

so, she knew. it wasn't just _in my head_. but the idea of this being real terrified me even more.

i was staring at her for a couple of seconds before turning my back at her, looking around the bedroom. i couldn’t move. i was about to let some random stranger into my house, just like that. if mom was there, she would’ve killed me. i was biting the inside of my cheek, hard.

 _i mean, she did save me, and i was_ willing to get coffee with her. _wouldn’t that be the least to do to thank her? and i would get some answers because at that exact moment i was fucking confused and i felt like i was about to explode._

i rushed downstairs to unlock the door. as i opened it, she was there, standing in front of me.

— **i mean… uh, come in.** i awkwardly said, moving a step on the side to let her in.

she slowly entered the house and i sneaked a look outside and thankfully there was no one around. because in this shitty ass town, it felt like everyone was spying and gossiping constantly. i closed the door behind us and saw arcadia shaking her feet on the carpet.

— **you know you can wear shoes, right?** i said, mocking her.

— **i like the look.**

— **i** ** _knew_ ****you only did it for the aesthetic.** i exclaimed, smirking. she started looking around the house, touching everything around her. vases, plants, the walls…

— **now spill**. i crossed my arms against my chest. **what’s going on?**

she looked at me again. her face was so small…

— **oh, i can control time. amazing, right?** she said nonchalantly as she decided to go upstairs.

— **weird girl, hold on! you can’t just drop a bomb like that and just leave me hanging!** i spoke up, following her closely, but she didn’t stop.

she pushed the door to my bedroom, like she knew where was heading already and looked around.

— **this is pretty.**

— **this is** ** _messy._** i corrected her. **disgusting, even.**

she didn’t make another comment. i carefully approached her, trying to not scare her off.

— **so…** i tried to initiate the conversation. **what are you?**

it seemed like a silly question. i mean, she looked human. she acted… a little bit off, but apart from that — and maybe the time traveling abilities — she seemed normal.

what is _normal_ , anyway?

— **that’s… a tough question.** she let out a small chuckle. **i’m all this.** she took a step forward. **i’m all you see. i’m all you breathe, all you live. i’m everywhere and nowhere.** she stopped approaching me. **you can see me as a spirit, if you will.**

my head started hurting. there was so much going on.

— **alright, totally fair. um…** i said sarcastically, then shook my head. **last question, am i going fucking crazy?** i asked, almost in despair.

she chuckled again. her laugh echoed my bedroom.

— **unfortunately no. or is it a good thing?** she playfully added.

— **are you real?** it was serious, heavy. we were close. a little too much for two strangers. _she smells good,_ i thought.

she slowly put her hand on my arm. either the tip of her fingers were cold or my arm was burning hot but i could feel warmth emanate. i glanced at her hand, and then her face again. she looked at me back and cautiously removed her hand, leaving it hanging, still close to my skin.

— **i’m real to** ** _you_** **.**

**Author's Note:**

> follow me on twt: @chaosmaxine
> 
> thanks for reading!


End file.
